Teresa Ribera was responsible for introducing Lynch at this briefing, and thanked her for the efforts she and his fellow trade unionists have made “over decades to build a better world”. “It is time to recognise the importance of continuing to do this, not only for the progress of workers, but for the progress of our societies”, said Teresa Ribera.

The Executive Vice-President argued that the European project was born to “combat that model of aggression and the imposition of ideas by force”, adding that Europe’s development should take place within a context of inclusivity, based on the welfare state, peace, prosperity and respect for rights.

The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch, stated at the Forum Europa in Brussels that Spain is a “role model” and “an attractive investment destination” thanks to its commitment to the green transition.

At a briefing organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Lynch emphasised that investment in the green transition “is key to the future” and pointed out that it must be accompanied by “social and territorial conditions” to ensure that the jobs created in this new phase are “high-quality” and “backed by collective agreements”.

The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch, warned on Tuesday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that minimum wages “are not rising fast enough” in Europe.

“This is a problem that affects us all. The wages of many workers are simply not high enough,” Lynch emphasised at the briefing organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital. She pointed out that, to address these shortcomings, Europe has a directive on minimum wages, which aims to ensure that the lowest incomes reach an adequate level, taking into account the cost of housing and food.

Despite this, the ETUC General Secretary admitted that “the current situation is such” that it is “impossible” for a worker on the minimum wage to afford housing in many European cities, even with two minimum wages in the household.

The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch, called on Tuesday at the Forum Europa in Brussels for a new European social contract that meets the needs of workers and the world of work in the age of Artificial Intelligence. 

Speaking at the briefing organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Lynch explained that the current social contract is failing to address the new landscape and warned that this situation could lead to a certain “fear of the future” amongst workers. 

The ETUC General Secretary advocated moving forward with this new social contract through “social dialogue” and bringing AI closer to European workers. Lynch pointed out that this new contract should be structured around five key principles, open to negotiation with other stakeholders. 

The President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Séamus Boland, stated on Tuesday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that the 2028–2034 EU budget “will not fulfil its purpose” due to the way it has been drawn up, and predicted that it will widen the gap between the EU and its citizens.

Speaking at a breakfast briefing organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Boland remarked that the budget would be “a typical ‘bubble’ agreement” from Brussels, and pointed out that outside the EU “there are elections and a great deal of tension” amongst citizens in different countries.

The EESC President pointed out that budget negotiations ultimately boil down to a struggle between “the frugal states and the others”, with the former advocating budget cuts and the latter arguing for the opposite.